The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-26
BY THE NUN OF KENMARE.
TIE IRISH QUESTION CONsIDEkED IN
ITS RELI0IDUS ASPECL


The vete-why tho Iri.h Locked Up to their
Priests-Eesiish Catholic lnnuenee et
Observation-Disclosures Fanine OF 'sD.
In the year 1905 Grattan entered the i'm
perial Parliament at the request OF Fox. An
English constituency was found for him. At
the same time Plunket Was brought Into the
House by Pitt; and thus these two famous
men, the, one 30 full OF the brilliant and the
other so full OF tho powerful gifts Of montal
science, again pleaded their country's cause
together, and In perfect harmony, though diff
fering on some political points. When GRAFT
tan first rose TO address the British Senate
there was hushed attention to his every
word; rs bis eloquence kindled with his sub
ject there were suppressed murmurs OF appro-
baton, whom he had concluded there were
thunders OF applause. ,His subject was a Pc,
tition from the Irish Catholics, which was pre-
sented to both Houses IN 1905. The division
gave 339 to 124 against going into committee.
Still 1t was something gained. whom English
men even listoncd 10 Irish grievances. or made
some effort to understand them. The veto was
now suggested. The object OF this was to al
low the Crown passive voice. II not an active
ono. In tho nomination Of Catholic Bishops.
1t was simply o renewal of tho old policy to
govern ireland politically through Rome. Had
this policy succeeded God alone knows what
would have been tho result AS usual councils
were divided among Catholics. 1t by no moons
follows because tho er cathed,'a teaching OF the
Catholic Church is inialllble TINT any Of hor
children, whether priest or layman. arc per-
sonally infallible. Tho veto opened q subject
Of wide and angry dispute, and it was little
matter OF surprise that this should be 80. In
order to understood this question thoroughly,
the previous state OF the Irish Catholic should
be fully understood, and as this also
bears on the 1lsh question OF to-day, shall
endeavor 10 make It understood briefly. am
the more encouraged to this because Of the
many communications in regard to this series
Of articles which l have received. both from
Protestants and Catholics. I have already
said that to be Irish and to be Catholic were
almost convertible terms. No people have
ever had the same, attachment to and rever-
several causes Tor this. Tie Irish people have
q natural attachment. II muy 80 ray, for re-
o
si tas sGE " n .sst
s GSsa a an s Sots Heads Their rsgion IN
Sy their iy lives - q heroic sSsrins and deaths q
hSrSi " was .Sa TO- them IN
And the layman would sacrifice his iife twenty
times II II were permitted. 70 save the priest.
tain tain :aSns EARRING denied the lay
man. and the Irish respect for learning was us
,Se s sh Els
but also his friend and his adviser. To him he
0s s not wssnss K s the
but for the purpose Of taking 1t. and Of acting
on It without hesitation.
divinely authorized guide in spirl.aai mat
ters. and the learned man OF his district.
Institute nsti1ntions q ssrniss ieanaed By Irlsb mem
abroad. so that the priest obtained the educa.
and mani. other such houses. a noble ancestor
principal founder Of one OF those colleges.
a asa aas s pss mss 'sss
not possible e doubt Ne wisdom. there was no
h. su1 msds snd shsS Ss dsRoa
IFfs net cass
s sas s. e .s e
nssS n io9 dSsn'aass BIZ
necessity devoted his time 70 studies directly
was permitted to learn and study In his native
land. and he had no lQpger that distinguished
part. and which dyes even . certain ADVENT
tioHs appearance of learning.
Ta s and Ss y Sn h
this natural result: The special ONCE. Of the
priest was as deeply reyered as ever. but the
ypoe sssna thas sRd Il ass Tor
With some few and notable exceptions pa
ss Ss e Il, s had Dee Rba the c 81
hunted from his lands. driven from his homo,
banished from his native country, forbidden 70
Children, ali Under The psnaltS q death Or
anes which meant commercial ruin. set lightly
things 81 eternity, His position was iike; that
1s.47 asd Ssy s4ays
Wehave seen how Catholic ENGLAND tried to
seSRptIb ends. And ~ same policy has CON CON
tinued without intermission to the present
ESelesiast ~ are human. they are personally
pialidi6ie; They nay even think honestly that
course S V q deferenee to casar which to ordi-
nary thinking differs very much from
So s very much 81 lie love 81 the World and
worldly things which he so plainly denounced.
s 4 s sP Tso ss
ious to secure the approval Of the English
ana to ssts s
Interests 81
liglon and OF Ireland
While England. and ireland were equally
Catholic nations the EnSlish had to make tho
Archbishop Of Dublin their tool. The statute
Of Kilkenny. which made It necessary that no
point. When The English nation changed
could no longer influence an Archbishop. but
they could hang him or behead him, as they
did one OF the truest and noblest ecclesiastics
who ever lived tho great Archbishop Plunket
When religious liberation became law they
were Obliged to look for other means, and they
found them. But. to the eternal credit Of the
Irish people. they found but few indeed who
would do their bidding.
The'veto was test case. 1t seemed. after all
such q simple matter to allow the English
GSPyerpnen They 5id not want to Interfere
means they only wanted to protect II" for
the good OF lrishmen. Of course. But Caesars
protection OF the Church always means that
Cesar IL bidihg his time to coerce the Church.
In truth It differs little from the lions protec-
ton OF the lamb.
Y seemed such simple matter, this veto.
seemed so ungrnteful when anyjustice was to